More people with a terminal illness will be supported to die at home under the Andrews Labor Government’s new End-of-Life and Palliative Care Framework.
The Framework recognises that the current system of palliative care is out-dated, is not line in with community expectations and will not meet future demand.
Currently, only 14 per cent of Australians who want to die at home are able to, and this new Framework is part of the Labor Government’s plan to change that.
To support the new Framework, the Government will provide $7.2 million to put in place the right infrastructure to allow more Victorians with a terminal illness to die at home, in line with their wishes.
This funding will support the expansion of specialist palliative care expertise, training for GPs in communities to be better able to assist people to die at home, additional respite services, and carers training and support.
The key aspects of the Framework include:
- Delivering person-centred services
- Engaging communities and embracing diversity
- Co-ordinating and integrating services
- Standardising home based models of care to ensure quality and safety is assured
- Making quality end-of-life and palliative care everyone’s responsibility
- Strengthening specialist palliative care
As part of this work, a new home based model of care will be trialled through a partnership project between hospitals, aged care community palliative care and Primary Health Networks before being rolled out across the state.
The new Framework follows the Government’s recent commitment to introduce Victorian first new laws into Parliament this year to protect advance care directives in legislation.
The Framework has incorporated relevant recommendations from the Parliamentary Committee Inquiry into End-of-Life choices, and the Government will provide a full response to the Inquiry in due course.
The End-of-Life and Palliative Care Framework can be viewed at
Quotes attributable to Minister for Health Jill Hennessy
“All Victorians deserve access to the best possible end-of-life care which relieves pain and suffering and supports families and carers in their last days.”
“This is about ensuring we have a proper model-of-care in place that will increase the options for people dying at home in an environment that is medically safe, compassionate and supportive for patients and their families.”
“This Framework reflects the views and hard work of many people in the community, and gives a real voice to families and carers.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020